Fence-machine



- (ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. G. PHILLIPS.

FENCE MACHINE.

, Patented June 15 1886.

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.(ModeL) E. G. PHILLIPS.

FENCE MACHINE.

No. 343,604. Patented June 15, 1886,.-

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v UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFIC CINCINNATI, OHIO.

FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,604, dated June 15, 1886.

Application filed November 21,?1885. Serial No. 183,481. (Model) To all whom it may concern: I l

Be it known that I, ELWooD C. PHILLIPs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Machines, of which the follower is a" specification. 1

My invention relates to machines for making combined wire and picket fence. Its ob ject is to produce a light, strong, and rapidly operating machine, capable of ready adj ust= ment for the purpose of regulating the num; ber of runners and their distance from each other; and it consists in the combinations of parts and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a fence-machine embodying my invention, that part of the machine which faces from the completed fence being considered as the front for the purpose of description. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same,showing a modification. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a twisterw-heel and the bracket supporting the same; Fig. 4,

a vertical section of the same; Fig. 5, a front View of a twister-wheel; Fig. 6, a front view of one section of the bracket which supports the twister-wheel. Fig. 7 is a top View of a bumper; Fig. 8, a side View of a-fence-machine embodying my invention, showing also a section of completed fence; Fig. 9, a detail showing a preferred method of actuating the driving-sprocket; Fig. 10, a perspective view of the two sections composing the bracket which supports the twisters.

Ais a ground-plank, and Baguide shown as a bar mounted thereon.

CCare standards, hereinafter called twister-standards, preferably connected at the bottom bya cross-bar, c, journaled inasleeve, d, upon an elbow or carrier, D, the other end of which has a sleeve, d, taking over the guidebar. The cross-bar 0 also serves as a hub for a wheel or truck, E, adapted to travel upon the ground-plank.

F F are sprocket-wheels, preferably annular in form, mounted in brackets G on the twister-standards and serving as twisters. The brackets are made in sections G and G connected by screw-bolts g or other suitable their base, and at the other end to a means. One section, G, of each bracket is sleeved at each end to one of the twister-standards, and may be held at any point thereon by means of set-screws g. Both sections of the brackets have corresponding circular openings adapted to receive and serve as bearings for the hubs f of the twisting-wheels. Oval slots f extend through the hub f, and the bearing-surface of each of the brackets is provided with one or more recesses, g, so placed as to register with said slots at one point in the revolution of the twisting -wheel. The slots f serve as eyes for the wires, and are partly closed by the brackets, allowing but little play to the wires, except at the points in the revolution of the twister at which the recesses in the brackets register with the slots when the entire slot is unobstructed, allowing splices or other irregularitiesin the wire to pass.

A bracket, H, sleeved to'one of .the twisterstandards and adj ustablethereou by means of set-screws h, carries a driving sprocket-wheel, I, which may be actuated by a'crank, J, attached directly thereto, as shown in Fig. 1; but Iprefer to provide oneside of the driving-sprocket with a series of gear-teeth, 2', and to provide the crank with a gear-wheel, J, meshing with said teeth, as shown in Figs. 2, 8, and 9. The driving-sprocket is connected with the twistersprockets by means of an endless chain, K, taking over opposite sides of alternate wheels, so as to actuatev them in opposite directions. The twister-standards are provided at-suitable intervals with bumpers L, attached to the standards in such a manner as to be vertically adjustable thereon.

M is a rod rigidly attached at one end to the twister-standards, preferably at or near brace, N, the other end of which is attached to the twister standards at a point substantially above their base, the standards, rod, and brace together forming a triangular frame. This frame is provided ator near the point of j unction of the rod M and brace N with one or more bolts, m, which take into a longitudinal slot, 0, in a curved standard, 0, and by means of nuts upon said bolts the rear of the frame may be held at any desired point upon the standard 0, thereby holding the twister- TO ANDREIV WARREN,

standards at any desired angle to the groundplank. The curved standard is sleevedto the guide-rod and provided with a truck, 0.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Two strands of wire are passed through each twisting-wheel one through each slot-and secured to a suitable post, P. The machine is then pushed forward until the bumpers strike the post,and the crank revolved, thereby actuating the twister-sprockets and twisting the wires, the machine receding as the twisting progresses. When the desired number of twists has been given to the wires, the machine is withdrawn a short distance and a picket inserted between the strands of 'wire held by the several twisting-sprockets. The machine is then pushed forward until the llhn'ipei-s come in coi'itact with the picket and crowd it snugly into the crotch of the previously-twisted wires. The twisters are again actiiated and the process repeated. The groii1id-plank is moved forward from tihieto time as the work progresses. When the ground slopesthe twister-standards can be retained in their vertical position by r'aisihg or lowering the i-o'd LI and securing it at the proper point upon the slotted standard 0. The twisters, b'eing'adj ustable vertically upon the twister-standards, maybe placed at any desired distance from each other, and by using a greater or less number a fence may be constructed with any desired number of runners.

I prefer to construct the twister-standards, gni'rle-bar, and the bracket supporting the diivihg-sphocket or tubular not, thus securing the greatest strength in proportion to the weight of the parts.

By simplicity of coiistrncti'on combined with lightness of parts I secure a machine which, while abundantly strong, can be easily and rapidly advanced to the work and withdrawn therefrom by hand, thus dispensing with the system of gearing by which portable machines have usually been advanced and withdrawn.

I claim- 1. The combination, in a fence-machine, of a "grouhdplank and a guid'eba'r thereon,

with a tivisterframe traveling upon the gronndplank and sleeved to the guide-bar, snbst iantially as specified.

2. Tneeombination, in a fence-machine, of a ground'plank and a guide-harth'etedn, with a twister-frame journaled upon a carrier sleeved to the goide-bar, substzth'tialiy as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a fence-machine, of

a g'ro'nhd-plank, a guide-bar thereon, and a twister-frame journal'ed at its base, loosely attached to the guide-bar and traveling upon the ground-plank, with means for holding the twister -frame at any desired angle to the groundplank, substantially as described.

4. In a fence-machine, a ground-plank and a guide-bar thereon, a twister-frame traveling on the ground-plank and journaled to a carrier sleeved to the guide-bar, and a rod rigidly connected at one end with the twister'standards, in combination with means for vertical adjustment of the free end of said rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a fence-machine, a ground-plank, a guide-bar thereon, a longitudinally-slotted standard, a twister-frame traveling upon a ground-plank and journaled upon the carrier and sleeved to the guide-bar, in combination with a rod rigidly connected at one end with the twister-frame, and provided with a screwbolt taking into said slotted standard, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a fence-machine, a guide-bar, a can rier traveling thereon, a frame journalcd upon said carrier, and brackets having an unlimited v'erti'cal adjustment upon said frame, and carrying twisting-wheel's, in combination with means ioraetnati'ng said twisting-wheels, subst'ahtially as described.

7. In a fence-machine, a guide-bar, a carrier traveling thereon, a framej ournale'd upon said carrier, brackets vertically adjustable upon said frame and carrying twister-sprockets, a drivingsprocket, an endless chain conneetingtlre driving-sprocket and the twistersprocket, and means for actuating the driving-sprocket, in combination with a slotted standard traveling upon the guide-bar, and an adjusting-rod attached at one end to the twister-fraine, and vertically adjustable upon the slotted standard, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a fence-machine, of a g'ionnd-plank and agui'de thereon, with a twister frame journalcd at its base and mounted uponone or more wheels traveling I 

